


We've Only Got Forever (and Forever is fine)

by SymphonySoldierXIII



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, Present Day AU, written for kh worlds connected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 03:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7874389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SymphonySoldierXIII/pseuds/SymphonySoldierXIII
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their parents' recent divorce, twin brothers Sora and Roxas are split up - but hey, at least the only thing separating them is the small stretch of ocean between Destiny Island and Twilight Town. And with their dad on a year-long business trip, their older brother, Cloud, agrees to let Roxas stay with him in apartment number thirteen of Twilight Town's Castle Oblivion Apartments. With a whole new town and a whole new school year without his brother and friends, it seems to Roxas that he's getting almost a whole new life. But what he didn't expect is that his new life actually wouldn't be that bad.<br/>written originally for kh worlds connected on tumblr ; title from "vegas skies" by the cab</p>
            </blockquote>





	We've Only Got Forever (and Forever is fine)

The first thing the boy with spiky blonde hair remembers thinking about the apartment complex was, _why does the clock have thirteen hours?_ It wasn’t like the clock followed a completely different time system in which there were twenty-six hours instead of twenty-four; it functioned exactly as any normal clock would. Except, the clock that had been placed high up in the clock tower that loomed above the apartments had thirteen hours on it instead of twelve. And even now, long after seeing the clock tower for the first time, he still had no fucking clue why the clock tower showed thirteen hours.

* * *

 

“I’m gonna be fine, I promise,” the fifteen-year-old male said, arms wrapped around his twin brother.

“But we’ve never been apart for very long!” Sora cried. “What happens if you have a nightmare like the ones you used to have when we were little? What happens if I have a nightmare? What happens if you accidentally took my favorite shirt with you and I can’t wear it for the first day of school, or- oh, god, we’re not going to be going to the same school!”  
Roxas couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s overreaction as he pulled back, the two identical pairs of blue eyes meeting one another. “Sora, it’ll be okay. We’re only a half hour ferry away from each other, remember? And besides, there’s this thing called a phone, I know you have one ‘cause you got yours a month before I did. I’m gonna be okay. _We’re_ gonna be okay. Promise.”  
“I’m just gonna miss you so much,” Sora smiled, but despite his attempt at happiness, the tears quickly filling his eyes proved otherwise.

“I know. I’m gonna miss you too.”

“Hey, you have your keys, right?”

“Never go anywhere without ‘em,” Roxas grinned, retrieving his keychain from his pocket.

On a road trip the summer before, the twins had visited a town called Radiant Garden, where they’d decided to get matching decorative keys as keychains. Sora had chosen a simple one, and when Roxas had been unable to decide between two other keys, Sora had split some of his remaining money so that Roxas could get both.

Now, the keys would serve as a connection between the two, something tying them together even when they were apart.

Sora got his keychain from his pocket as well, holding it out as proof of having it. He hugged Roxas one last time as tears spilled down his face. When they separated, Sora sniffled and wiped his eyes with the two-sizes-too-big sweatshirt he had on over his tank top, courtesy of Riku, who, despite having warned Sora that it would be cold out near the dock, still let the younger boy wear his only protection from the cool ocean air.

“Come visit as soon as you can, okay?” Sora asked, shoving his hands into the front pockets of the sweatshirt.

“Of course,” Roxas nodded.

“Not to interrupt or anything, but Roxas, if you’re planning on leaving, now would be a good time,” Kairi interrupted.

“Kairi’s right, the ferry’s about to leave,” Riku added.

“I actually said that because Sora managed to step farther away from Roxas than he has all day, but yeah, that too,” Kairi laughed.

Sora and Roxas both laughed as well.

“You guys are right, though, I should get going if I want to make the ferry,” Roxas said, shifting his glance down to the ground in front of him. “Hey, once I get my laptop set up, I’ll call you guys on skype, is that cool?”  
“Of course!” Sora exclaimed while Kairi and RIku nodded.

The ferry’s horn sounded, signaling its departure within the next five minutes.

“I’d better go,” Roxas glanced over at the ferry, then back toward his friends. “See you guys soon, alright?”

“See ya, Roxas,” Sora said, tears running down his face once more.

Roxas began his walk towards the ferry, and the large suitcase he dragged behind him rolled loudly across the wooden planks that formed the pier. He adjusted the backpack straps on his shoulders, along with the strap of the duffel bag that hung on his shoulder as well.

As he boarded the ferry, he turned back for one last look at his friends before leaving for Twilight Town. Sora had his hand over his face, undoubtedly to catch his tears. Riku stood on Sora’s left, with his arm around the brunette’s shoulders, and on the right Kairi had her arm wrapped around Sora’s waist.

Roxas smiled down at the ground as he walked onto the ferry, hoping that the thirty minute trip would be long enough to make the tears in his eyes dry up. He found a spot at the ship’s bow to stand, and he set his bags down beside him just as the ferry began sailing.

From the shore, he heard his friends calling out to him, waving and smiling and probably crying (at least, he hoped they were crying, so he wouldn’t be the only one in tears as the ship sailed away).

Once the three became nothing more than just a pinprick in the distance on the shores of Destiny Island, Roxas shifted to lean on the ship’s railing. He stared out at the sea, where his future lie just ahead of him.

* * *

 

It’s not that Twilight Town was bad or anything - it was actually pretty nice, no sand everywhere (Roxas never really did like sand), brick streets and buildings, there was even an ice cream shop right next to the dock. But it just wasn’t Destiny Island.

“Roxas!” A familiar voice called out.

Roxas, who’d just gotten off the ferry, turned to see his older brother, Cloud, waving to him. A smile spread across his face as he rushed to greet the only familiar aspect of this entire town.

“It’s so good to see you again,” Roxas said, ignoring the fact that Cloud was slightly squishing him in a huge hug. “How’d registration go?”  
The day before, Cloud had his registration day for his third year at Twilight Town University, the college almost everyone from the island and town attended after high school. “Uneventful, but not bad,” Cloud said, releasing his younger brother and allowing him to breathe again. “Hey, sorry Mom and Dad split you and Sora up like this. I know how close you two are, and it’s not fair for you two to have to be apart.”  
Roxas rested his hand on the handle of his suitcase. “It’s not that bad,” he shrugged. “I think Sora took it a lot harder than I did.”

“Or he’s just better at showing it,” Cloud pointed out. “Now come on, let’s get you moved in. You’re gonna love this place!”

* * *

 

Roxas wouldn't say his immediate reaction to Castle Oblivion Apartments, the apartment complex where Cloud lived, was necessarily “love”. It was more... Intrigue.

When you got past the gate, there was a huge courtyard, and on the opposite side was a gigantic clock tower marked with thirteen hours instead of twelve. Roxas tried to look past it and observe the apartments on both sides of the courtyard (each side had two floors, each floor with three apartments, save the top corridors, which both had four) but he could barely focus on anything aside from the strangely numbered clock tower.

“I know, it took me months to get over it too,” Cloud gently nudged Roxas with his elbow, noticing his fascination with the clock. “It works normally, you know, there’s twelve hours, but it just has an extra one marked. No one really knows why. Come on, it’s this way.”

Roxas took one last glance over at the clock with thirteen hours before following his brother to the top left section, to the apartment right next to the extra one in this section.

“Why’s there four apartments on the top sections, but three in the others?” Roxas asked, brushing his hand against the doorframe as he followed Cloud inside the apartment.

Cloud shrugged. “Planning error, I guess? You’d have to ask Xemnas, he owns the complex. Passed down from his uncle, I think. Weird guy, that uncle, I’ve only seen him here once as he was leaving. I walked right past him, and he was muttering something about keys. It was... Strange, to say the least.”

“Yeah, that seems pretty weird.” Roxas set his bags down near the front door and reached into his pocket, running his thumb across the keychain once he made sure it was still there.

“Knock, knock!” A voice called from the doorway, causing Roxas to jump in surprise and turn around. “I heard we have a new resident, is that right, Cloud?”

“Hey, Xigbar,” Cloud greeted the man, leaning up against the wall beside Roxas. “Yep, this is my little brother, Roxas. Rox, this is Xigbar.”

“Hey, kid, nice to meet ya. I live down there,” Xigbar pointed across the courtyard to the lower right section, “in apartment two.” Turning his attention back to Cloud, he said, “Xemnas said to let you know that there’s gonna be a meeting tomorrow in the courtyard, since there’s a new kid in apartment thirteen too.”

“Cool, I’ll see you there then,” Cloud nodded.

“Alright, see ya,” Xigbar turned to leave, but turned back for a moment. “By the way, kid, this place might be a little unusual, but I think you’ll like it here.”

Roxas smiled politely, nodding in acknowledgement. He was never all too good in social situations, especially with people he didn’t know yet, and didn’t want to say the wrong thing here.

Cloud shut the door once Xigbar had left. “So, you wanna see your room or what?”

Roxas grinned. “I get my own room?”

“Well, it was actually supposed to be the office, and there’s not really a door, but it’s pretty big, and I got you one of those screen things. Oh, there’s a balcony, too, so that’s a plus.”  
“You had me at “I get my own room”,” Roxas laughed, picking up his bags and bringing them into his new room.

Cloud wasn’t lying, it wasn’t actually all that big, but there was a bed, a nightstand, a dresser, a desk, and a door to the balcony - and plenty of wall plugs.

“It’s amazing, thanks Cloud!” Roxas reached up to give his brother a hug.

Cloud grinned. “Glad you like it, Rox. I have to admit, I was a little worried I’d have to give you my room instead!”

Roxas smiled as he began to unpack his things, starting with his laptop and charger. “Mind if I skype with Sora?”  
“Not at all. Hey, remember, this is your place too, now, you’re not just staying with me for a while.”

“Got it,” Roxas smiled, opening his laptop. “Wifi password?” He asked.

“Right, it’s... ‘sciencerules’, no spaces, no capitals.”

“...For what network?” Roxas asked, a bit concerned.

“I, for one, think it’s fairly obvious,” Cloud crossed his arms.

Roxas opened the list of networks. “I hate you so much,” he said as calmly as possible, using all of his strength not to burst out laughing at the fact that Cloud’s wifi network was called “Bill Wi the Science Fi”.

“Love you too, Rox,” Cloud grinned. “So, you gonna call Sora?”

“Give me a minute, I have to actually open skype to do that, and I would have done that sooner if I hadn’t been so distracted with your stupid wifi name.”

 

* * *

 

Roxas’s first night went pretty well in his opinion. He talked with Sora, Kairi, and Riku on skype for a few hours, with Cloud joining them for a little while. Cloud ordered pizza, which they ate while watching _The X Files_ on netflix. Roxas finished unpacking most of his stuff, and after texting with Sora, Kairi, and Riku for a while, he fell asleep.

As Cloud had said about his registration - uneventful, but not bad.

 

* * *

 

The next afternoon, Cloud walked past Roxas, who was seated on the couch, watching tv as background noise while he tapped away at his phone. He reached into the closet to retrieve a jacket, and said, “Hey, Rox, I’m going to that meeting Xigbar mentioned yesterday. You can come with, if you want.”

Roxas paused the tv. “What’re the meetings like?”

“Really, they’re not as much of meetings as they are parties for everyone who lives here,” Cloud slipped the jacket on and proceeded to lean up against the wall by the door. “There’s usually some sort of food, and if you get bored you can just leave,” he shrugged.

“Sure, why not,” Roxas turned off the tv and got up to follow Cloud, slipping his phone into his pocket.

As the two walked down the corridor, Cloud spoke up. “I think Xigbar said there’s a new kid that just moved in, close to your age. Maybe you can talk to them if us adults get too boring for you,” he joked.

In the courtyard, there was a table set up with four pizza boxes open and a huge stack of plates, just as Cloud had said. Most of the other residents were gathered already - Xigbar, who Roxas had met the day before, a man around Cloud’s age with silver hair and... orange eyes? Maybe they were just really bright amber, who knows. Roxas shrugged it off and continued to quietly observe. Two people were talking, a blonde girl and some guy with pink hair. Their conversation was the loudest, thanks to the pink-haired one. A red-haired guy around Roxas’s age, maybe a year or two older, was talking to a blonde who seemed to be the same age. A girl with black hair approached the two, appearing to introduce herself.

Roxas had decided that he’d join them - in time, of course, as he wouldn’t want to interrupt the girl’s introduction. He waited, preparing how he’d greet them, and once it seemed like the girl had settled into the conversation a bit, he walked up as well.

“Hey, I’m Roxas,” he said, smiling at the three. “I’m Cloud’s brother, I’m staying with him for a while.”

“Well, Roxas, it’s nice to meet you,” the redhead smirked. “I’m Axel - got it memorized?”

“It’s just a thing he says,” the blonde sighed. “I’m Demyx.”

“I’m Xion,” the girl smiled. “I just moved here, too.”

“So... You all have your own apartments? Don’t you have to be, like, eighteen to move out?” Roxas asked.

“Not always,” Axel shrugged. “My stepmom doesn’t like me very much, and I’m graduating in two years, so I just moved out.”

“And my parents hate me,” Demyx said with an unusual amount of happiness. “‘I didn’t raise you to be gay,’” he said in a low voice, most likely imitating his father, and with a higher pitch, he cried, “‘Did we not teach you well enough? You _know_ God hates homosexuals and they all go to hell!’” Finally, with his normal voice again, he finished, “You know, bullshit like that. Personally, I just think they’re pissed off ‘cause I was brave enough to go against their wishes of a perfect, boring, straight kid.”

Xion shook her head. “My parents wouldn’t let me leave. They... They hit me, all ‘cause they didn’t want to believe I was a girl, and one night I just... Ran away, to the police, and got emancipated a month later.”

“Wow, that sucks. Some people just get dealt a really bad hand, I guess. Is that the phrase? Luxord said it this one time, I think I got it right,” Demyx said. “But hey, we could start an ‘Our Parents Hate Us’ club!” He joked.

“What about you, Roxas?” Axel asked, turning to the younger blonde. “You’re staying with Cloud for a while?”

Roxas nodded. “My parents are getting a divorce, and they’re splitting me and my twin brother up. I’m supposed to go with my dad, but he’s on a business trip this year and didn’t want to make me go too far away from Sora - my brother, so I’m staying here for a while. I know it’s not that bad compared your guys’ stories, but-“

“Roxas, you can’t compare your life to anyone else’s. No one else’s experiences can make yours any less valid. Someone’s always gonna have it just a little worse than you, but that doesn’t mean you don't have a right to be sad about things in your life,” Xion explained.

“Group hug!” Demyx yelled as a (very ineffective) warning before pulling the other three into a huge, non-optional hug.

Xion was the first to react. She started laughing, and when Roxas looked over at her, he noticed that she was crying as well. He joined her, laughing too to express how happy he was, a happiness he hadn’t necessarily expected to find here. Axel and Demyx soon caught on, and the courtyard filled with their laughter. The clock with thirteen hours loomed above them, above the courtyard and above the apartments, ticking on and on as the four forgot time even existed.


End file.
